Garment bottom cutter



1933- M. SCHWARTZ El AL GARMENT BOTTOM CUTTER Fiied May 5, 1952 2 M MW Y ma m "wk/ fin w r .o 6 24 m 4H n h Y t B Patented Dec. 19, 1933 GARMENT BO TTOM CUTTER Mendel Schwartz, Brooklyn, and Alexander Shapiro, New York, N. Y.

Application May 5, 1932. Serial No. 609,420

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for use by tailors and dressmakers in the production of wearing apparel, and relates especially to a novel construction for mounting and positioning a cutting tool by means of which to cut or trim off at a predetermined height above the floor, the lower portions ,of garments such as skirts, dresses, coats and the like.

Those engaged in making garments of the kinds referred to, experience more or less difficulty in cutting or trimming off the garments in an even line and at the desired height, so that when the garments are worn, the lower portions thereof will come at a uniform predetermined distance above the floor.

The purpose of our invention is to provide a simple and practical device through the use of which a garment may be readily and accurately cut oil so as to have above the floor that desired uniform height which best befits the individual wearer. 1

More particularly, ourinvention involves. a vertical standard having a graduated scale, and

for the support of a cutting tool such as a pair 25. of scissors, we provide upon the standard a lateral carrier element or frame having a sliding member capable of movement or extension in a horizontal plane and in a direction along the circumference of the skirt or dress to be cut. The scissors device is detachably mounted upon the sliding member for pivoting thereonabout a center and so as to be operated in a horizontal plane at any desired angle while the sliding member is being moved within its range of adjustment. l

It is also within the province of our invention to provide an adjustable measuring device or indicator, and this device is furnished with scale markings whereby, accordingly as it is adjusted, to indicate where the lower portion of a garmentisto be cut to determine the length of the garment for any particular wearer. The; measuring operation is performed while the garment is positioned on a dress form or the like. Having ascertainedby the measuring device the desired length of the garmentfit is only necessary in order to out 01f the bottom portion of the garment at the height it is to have from the floor,'to adjust the scissors-carrying element or frame vertically upon the pedestal to the precise position in which scissors may be manipulated to cut off the goods at the desired height. An important desideratum of our invention residesin the sliding member and the manner in which this member is arranged for movement and in which:-

Figure 1 is an elevational View on a reduced scale, showing the cutting and measuring devices as they appear when being used upon a skirt disposed upon a dress form;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cutting device, parts thereof being broken away;

Fig. 3 is an underneath plan view of the adjustable measuring device Fig. 4 is a cross section 4-4 of Fig. 3;

, taken on the line Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing the arrangement of the markings on the faces of the cooperating parts of the measuring device; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

By referring to the drawing, it will be noted that the cutting device is disclosed as comprising a vertical standard 10 which rises from a suitable base 11; and a lateral carrier element or-frame which consists of an arm 12 and a sliding member 13 supported thereby.

The arm 12 in transverse section is preferably of a fiat or plate like form, and as shown in the drawing, it is bent upon itself at its mid-length so that its opposite end portions other. To the inner en are substantially at right angles to one and of this arm is attached a vertically extending sleeve 14 which has sliding fit upon th In the present instance, the pedestal l0 and the sleeve 14 are of rectangular form in cross section, but

it is to be understood that the cross sectional form of these parts is not material.

Preferably, andas shown, the pedestal 10 is hollow and there is fixedly secured in one side thereof a vertically extending rack 15 with which 'a manually operated inorder to sustain the sl desired upon the pedest pawl 16 cooperates Said pawl 16 is mounted for swinging movement upon a pivot pin 17 arranged in suitable ears 18 secured to the underside of the arm 12; and said pawl is normally swung into that position in which its end 19 will be in engagement with the teeth of the rack bar, by means of a suitable tension spring 20.

The sliding member 13 is longitudinally curved and slidably fits in the open horizontal slot 21 which extends transversely in the outer end 22 of the arm 12. Said sliding member is provided with a lengthwise extending guide slot 23 through which is passed a pin 24 disposed vertically in the end 22. This arrangement is such that the member 13 is adapted to be slid longitudinally upon the pin and as well to have lateral rocking movement thereon as about an axis. In practice, the vertical pin 24 may, if desired, have associated therewith a ball bearing cage including balls for engaging with the opposing longitudinal edges which define the slot 23.

Rising upwardly from one end of the sliding member 13 is a hollow post 25 through the top end of which may be inserted a vertical pivot stud 26 which connects the two shear members of the scissors device 27, the connection between the scissors and said stud being such that the two shear members of the scissors may be manipulated in the usual way for cutting, while the pivot stud will turn within the post in accompaniment with the shearing movement of one of the shearing members. It will be observed from Fig. 6 that the pivot stud 26, while having rotative movement in the post, pivotally connects the shear members 2'7 and 2'7 of the scissors. This is accomplished by providing the under side of the shear member 27 with a seat 2711. for receiving a shoulder 27b on the stud, and by providing a screw threaded connection at 270 between the shear member 27 and the stud. The pivot stud 26, while permitted free rotation in the post, is held therein against ac-v cidental longitudinal shifting movement by an actuable spring member 28, the inner end of which is engageable with a suitable annular recess 28' formed for the purpose in the pivot stud. Said spring 28 is arranged so that it normally springs outwardly out of retaining engagement with said stud, and a sleeve member 29, which slidably fits around the post, is adapted to be moved upwardly upon the spring so as to force the latter inwardly into retaining engagement with the stud. At its lower end, the sleeve 29 is provided with a cut-away portion forming a cam edge 30 which engages a pin 31 projecting outwardly from the post- Through the cooperation of the cam edge and stationary pin, the sleeve is elevated when turned in one direction, and lowered when turned in the opposite direction. On elevation of the sleeve, the spring is forced inwardly into engagement with the annular recess 28', and as the spring is placed under tension in such position, it frictionally sustains the sleeve in elevated position. By this arrangement, the pivot stud and hence the scissors can be readily removed. Marking chalk or any other device for operating upon the dress may be substituted for the scissors upon the pivot stud.

According to our invention, the scissors device is supported upon one end of the sliding member so as to be operated in a horizontalplane, and

the scissors device during its shearing operation maybe swung circularly with the post by which it is supported into any desired angle. These operations of the scissors device may be performed during the movement of the sliding member in longitudinal and lateral directions. Under this arrangement, by moving the slide longitudinally and laterally, the scissors device while being operated can be moved along the circumference of a skirt as 33 in order to cut or trim off the bottom portion thereof in an even line. In the present instance, the skirt is represented as being applied to a dress form 34, but it will be evident that the skirt may be cut off at the bottom while it is hung from a person.

By reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the vertical pedestal is provided with a graduated scale consisting of numerals and scale markings 35 indicative of inches or fractional parts thereof. The lower end of the sleeve 14 is provided with a notch 36 in which to exhibit any selected numeral or marking, it being only necessary to move the sleeve along the pedestal until the selected numeral or marking appears in the notch 36. The arrangement of the scale is such that any numeral or marking displayed in the notch 36 will indicate the precise height at which the scissors can be operated to cut the goods.

To determine the length of the skirt, we provide a measuring device consisting of telescoping channel-shaped members 37 and 38. At its lower end, the member 37 is provided with two protruding members 39 and 40, the member 40 in the present embodiment comprising an extension of an operating lever 41 located in the channel-shaped member 37 and movable laterally therein upon a pivot pin 42. The upper end of the operating lever 41 is provided with an outwardly projecting book 43 which is adapted to operate through an opening 44 in the member 37 for engagement with an opening 45 in the outer member 38, there being a series of openings 45 provided along the length of the outer member 38. The operating lever 41 is normally urged in that position in which its hook 43 will pass through an opening 44 and into a selected opening 45, by a tension spring 46, the intermediate portion or" which is coiled about the stud 42 with one end engaged at '47 with the lever 41 while the opposite end thereof bears at 48 against the opposite side flange of the member 37. As shown in Fig. 5, the face of the member 87 is provided with'a graduated scale consisting of numerals and markings as 49. The lower end 50 of the upper member 38 is provided with a notch 51 in which to exhibit the numerals or scale markings 49 accordingly as the member 38 is moved along the member 37.

As shown in Fig. 1,- the upper member 38 is fastened to a suitable arm 52 or other device associated with the dress form 34. In operation, the clutch lever 41 being released, the member 37 is slid along the member 38 until there is displayed in the notch 51 that numeral or scale.

marking which indicates the length which the skirt is to be given. Having determined the length of the skirt or dress, the customer can readily note for herself, when the garment bottom cutter is positioned alongside the skirt, as shown in Fig. 1, the height she prefers to have the bottom of the skirt from the floor, and the skirt can thereupon be accurately trimmed at the selected height.

It will be evident that the detailsof construction hereinbefore set forth are capable of considerable range of change and modification without in any manner departing from the spirit of our invention and we accordingly do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the specific details of construction hereinbefore set forth except as hereinafter claimed.

We claim:-- 7

1. A garment bottom cutter having in combination with a pair of scissors consisting of two shears, supporting means having a laterally projecting arm, a slide connected with the arm, to slide thereon in a horizontal plane, and means which connect the two shears for operation supported on the slide for moving the scissors therewith whereby to operate the scissors in any desired position of the slide.

2. A garment bottom cutter having in combination with a pair of scissors consisting of two shears, supporting means having an arm, a slide connected with the arm, a stud pivotally connecting the two shears and supported for turning movement on said slide, said supporting means comprising a pedestal on which said arm is mounted for adjustment vertically of the pedestal.

3. A combination support and scissors, comprising a pair of scissors consisting of two shear members, a support, a slide with a bearing fixed thereto, mounted for sliding and pivoting movement on said support, and a pivot stud rotatively fitted in said bearing and pivotally connecting said shear members.

4. A combination support and scissors, comprising a pair of scissors consisting of two shear members, a pedestal with a vertically extending rack, an arm slidably fitted at one end on the pedestal, a slide with a bearing fixed thereto, mounted for sliding and pivoting movement on said support, a pivot stud rotatively fitted in said bearing and pivotally connecting said shear members, and a manually operated element on said arm engaging with said rack.

5. The combination with supporting means having guide parts and a pin, a slide disposed between said guides and mounted on said pin to have sliding and pivoting movements thereon and a pair of scissors pivotally mounted on said slide.

6. In a garment bottom cutter, the combination of a pedestal provided with scale markings, an arm slidably mounted on the pedestal and cooperating with the scale markings, a slide disposed on the arm for sliding and pivoting movements, and a pair of scissors pivoted to said slide, said scissors irrespective of the adjustment of said arm with respect to said markings, being movable by said slide in a direction to operate upon the circumference of a garment.

MENDEL SCHWARTZ. ALEXANDER SHAPIRO. 

